My 03 Fatboy TC88 carbed runs about 185-200 here in the mountains in the summertime. The 13 ultra 103 runs hot as blazes. I don't know how hot and probably don't want to.

 

145 still is way to cool for an internal combustion engine. ****, my push lawn mower with a briggs has to hit 200.

 

I typically see 220-230 after coming in off the highway in 100+ ambient temperatures. That is with Stage 1 (2009-96") and no oil cooler. In stop and go traffic, it can go much higher depending how long you are stuck. The way I check it is to drop a high end digital thermometer down the oil filler hole. Sometimes I have used an infrared thermometer. Same reading.

 

Agreed, 140 is low, but comparing an evo's temps with a twin cam's temps as 20 posters on this thread have done is like comparing apples to watermelons.

Bwana

 

HD Prem Oil Cooler - Mid summer can run 220-230 & Fall it drops to 180-210.

Reno is at the base of the Lake Tahoe mountains & the outside Summer temps can change 30 degrees on one ride & the elevation changes can be severe so the oil temps can be all over the place.

 

Good observation, I'll admit I didn't catch it. I've seen signatures with half a dozen models listed and the thread be about yet a different model. Not everyone scrutinizes a post to extract all the hidden details, I know I don't have the time to do it. That's why I think its a good idea to quote your specific model in the post when asking a question about it. You are absolutely correct that EVOs run much cooler than TCs, but not that cool. Luckily I didn't make the mistake of comparing my TC but it wasn't really relevant to a response given what I extracted from the question. I did give him a good answer. A "T" off an oil journal is a good way to check pressure but not temp, oil doesn't actually flow in and out of a "T", but pressure and vacuum does. A temp sensor need to be exposed to the oil stream inline with the journal and actually that is not even a good way to measure oil temp. Industry standard for measuring engine oil temp is in the bulk reservoir, AKA pan. My guess is he will normally see 180-200 on the EVO, when he gets the sensor placement corrected.

 

Like Joe said, you'll need to relocate the sender to the oil pan. If your kit didn't have one, go to Napa or other source and buy a Napa #3220 x 6 x 2 (1/8"F-3/8"M) adapter. I'm assuming your sender is 1/8"F pipe thread like all the other HD units I've seen, but if it isn't HD it may be different.

Be advised that adding more wire length may affect gauge accuracy, so keep it as short as possible and check the temperature for accuracy once you're finished.

I run around 200° in summer, up to 225° only twice in the last two summers, but I have both a cooler and a Ward FCS fan kit that keeps the heads much cooler than stock. That helps with OT which ran in that range even without the fans and never exceeded 230° in even the worst conditions.

 

Here is my sending unit. Candidly, I'm not sure if this is the factory pressure sending unit or my temp sending unit. The wires seem to be non-factory so I was thinking it was the aftermarket gauge sending unit.



On my photobucket I drew an arrow to the sending unit to the left of my pressure gauge, not showing up in this pic on the forum, but that's what I'm talking about, the sending unit under the chrome cover.

I'm new to Harley's but not new to wrenching by a long shot.

I didn't take a picture of my cooler, which was silly of me. I'll post up a pic of my oil cooler later...it's 8" or so and two rows wide so pretty good size. It has a dial on it so I think I can bypass it which will clearly raise temps, so that is why I posted up to see what other folks are seeing as oil temps. Modern Z06 vettes have such a big air to air cooler from the factory that in the cooler weather guys are only seeing 140 oil temps, which I agree is too low, and since I'm seeing that on my bike, I'm thinking perhaps I need to bypass my cooler like the Vette guys do (with cardboard, luckily I seem to have a dial to do it).

I am the third owner of this bike and the second owner has a file on all the work done to the bike from the first owner (including the cooler, the engine rebuild, etc. etc.), however, he just moved and can't find the file. I really need that file!!

I should have been clear (and I will go back and correct myself) that my bike is an Evo.

Thanks for your help guys. Please keep posting up your EVO oil temps if you have info.

 

Here is a better pic of my sending unit...it looks like a pressure sensor to me but a temp sensor looks very similar. It definitely doesn't seem to be factory wires...I'm positive of that. They run up to the headlight nacelle, and my gauge is on the handlebar clamp cover.

Where is the pressure sensor on a factory Evo?



Here is my oil cooler with the bypass below it. It's possible my cooler is too large...so hence my question, what oil temps are normal for an air cooled EVO? I can adjust my bypass when I find out normal temps for these engines.

By the way, oil looks good in the tank...no signs of condensation which I'd expect in a car with only 140 degree temps...but my experience is with cars not Harleys.



Appreciate the responses.

 

Sorry Joe, I still can't make heads or tails of the pics. Best advice I can give is move the sender to the pan for an accurate oil temp reading.